The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-239063 filed on Aug. 7, 2000 the entire contents thereof are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a split handlebar switch mounting structure for installation on the handlebar of for instance a motorcycle.
2. Description of Background Art
There has been proposed an improved art of a handlebar switch case as set forth, for example, in Japanese Utility Model No. Sho 57-59426 Handlebar Switch Case For Motorcycle. FIG. 4 illustrated in this utility model application will be used herein with the designations of members changed.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a conventional handlebar switch mounting structure. A handlebar switch 100 is of such a design that, with a bracket 102 set on a handlebar 101, a first case half 103 made of an alloy is attached by bolts 104, 104 to a first lug 102a of the bracket 102, then the handlebar 101 is tightened by the bracket 102 and the first case half 103, thereby firmly fastening the first case half 103 to the handlebar 101.
Subsequently, a second case half 105 is installed by bolts 106, 106 to a second lug 102b of the bracket 102, thus installing the second case half 105 to the handlebar 101.
According to the handlebar switch 100, since the first case half 103 is made of an alloy, it is possible to reliably install the first case half 103 to the handlebar 101 by firmly tightening the bracket 102.
Furthermore, the second case half 105 can be reliably installed, like the first case half, to the handlebar 101 by attaching the second case half 105 to the bracket 102.
The first and second case halves 103 and 105 of the handlebar switch 100, however, are produced of different kinds of materials, and therefore there exists a difference in the outward appearance between the first case half 103 and the second case half 105. The outward appearance of the handlebar switch 100 is hard to improve; therefore the practical use of the handlebar switch 100 of an improved outward appearance is in demand depending on the type of motorcycle.
In some handlebar switch mounting structure, the material of the first case is changed from alloy to resin for the purpose of improving the outward appearance of the handlebar switch.
The first and second case halves can be matched with each other in external appearance by thus forming the first case half of the same resin as the second case half, thereby improving the outward appearance of the handlebar switch. In the next drawing, the handlebar switch will be explained.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a conventional handlebar switch mounting structure. In a handlebar switch 110, a bracket 111 is positioned by a lock pin 112 on a handlebar 113. Flange portions 114, 114 of the bracket 111 are so set as to be sandwiched by both a first case half 115 and a second case half 116. Screws 117a and 117b are inserted into through holes 116a and 116b of the second case half 116. Thereafter, the screws 117a and 117b thus inserted are screwed into screw holes 115a and 115b of the first case half 115.
A circular portion 115c of the first case half 115 is thus pressed against the upper half of the periphery of the handlebar 113, and a circular portion 116c of the second case half 116 is pressed against the lower half of the periphery of the handlebar 113.
The first and second case halves 115 and 116 can be thus mounted unrotatably on the handlebar 113.
There is a certain amount of clearance between the lock pin 112 installed on the handlebar 113 and the mounting hole of the handlebar 113. Therefore, to install the first and second case halves 115 and 116 unrotatably on the handlebar 113, it is necessary to firmly press the circular portion 115c of the first case half 115 and the circular portion 116c of the second case half 116 against the handlebar 113.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide a clearance S1 for instance between the flange portion 114, 114 of the bracket 111 and the opposite surface 116d, 116d of the second case half 116, and to firmly tighten by the screws 117a and 117b the first and second case halves 115 and 116.
However, the presence of the clearance S1 between the flange portion 114, 114 and the opposite surface 116d, 116d impairs the outward appearance. To improve the outward appearance, the screws 117a and 117b must be firmly tightened to reduce or eliminate the clearance S1.
Therefore the first and second case halves 115 and 116 are sometimes subject to deformation, which will adversely affect the outward appearance of the handlebar switch 110.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a handlebar switch mounting structure which has good outward appearance and can be reliably mounted on the handlebar.
To attain the above-described object, a split handlebar switch mounting structure is provided for mounting the handlebar switch on the handlebar by joining the second case half made of a resin to the first case half made of a resin. The handlebar switch mounting structure is provided with the first bracket having a circular portion so formed so as to be attached on about a half of the periphery of the handlebar with a pair of flange portions protruding from both ends of the circular portion. The second bracket includes at least the circular portion so formed so as to be attached on the remaining half of the periphery of the handlebar. The second bracket is joined to the first bracket placed on the handlebar, thereby securing the first and second brackets on the handlebar. Then the first and second case halves are joined to sandwich the flange portion, thereby mounting the first and second case halves to the handlebar through the flange portion.
The first and second brackets are secured on the handlebar, thus permitting the firm attachment of the first and second brackets to the handlebar. Then, the first and second case halves are attached to the flange portion of the first bracket installed firmly on the handlebar. Therefore the first and second case halves can be firmly attached to the handlebar.
Furthermore, since the first and second brackets are fixed on the handlebar, there is no need to tighten the handlebar by the first and second case halves. It is, therefore, possible to prevent deformation of the first and second case halves without applying an unnecessarily great tightening force to the first and second case halves.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.